Boston Bruins: Top 3 impact players to watch on the Devils
When the Boston Bruins face the New Jersey Devils, they’ll square off against one of the NHL’s most improved teams.
New Jersey finished near the bottom of the league last year. The Devils could not recover after injuries to their best player and starting goaltender. The Devils loaded up this offseason with new additions, including the first overall pick in the draft. As a result, the Boston Bruins will have their hands full with some impact players.
Taylor Hall
Taylor Hall undoubtedly starts the season as New Jersey’s most important player. He’s yet to score, but Hall does have three assists in the first four games.
Hall comes off an injury-plagued 2018-2019 season. He needed knee surgery, so he only played in 33 games. In these 33 games, Hall managed to record 37 points.
Two years ago was Hall’s most successful NHL season. After Edmonton traded him to the Devils, Hall lit up the Eastern Conference.
He had 39 goals and 93 total points in 76 games. Hall won the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player.
Hall is one of the league’s best left wings. He’s a powerful and dynamic skater who can get by pretty much any defender. He then can fire powerful shots on net with a quick release.
Hall also has the size and strength to protect the puck in the offensive zone. He’s extremely physical and can be a terror along the boards.
In fact, Hall’s physicality is one of the reasons why he finds himself on the injury list so much. He involved in some many high impact players every game, and this can take its toll.
Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy will likely match up against Hall. He’ll see a lot of Chara all night long.
Chara doesn’t have the speed to handle Hall, but he certainly has the strength and reach. Look for Chara to be especially physical against Hall.
P.K. Subban
The Devils made a number of signings and trades this offseason. One of the biggest trades was with Nashville for P.K. Subban.
Bruins fans remember Subban from his days in Montreal. Given his play, Subban was a fan favorite every time he played in Boston. He always seemed to be the center of attention.
Subban is a dynamic defenseman. He has an exceptionally powerful stride, and he is strong enough to handle even the biggest forwards.
Subban also has a rocket of a slap shot from the point. He uses his patented windup to generate power, and he routinely picks a top corner.
With his shot, Subban is valuable on the power play. He had 10 power play goals in three years for Nashville. He even finished one season with Montreal with eight goals on the power play.
The Bruins definitely need to avoid the penalty box against New Jersey. And if they can’t, the Bruins at least must limit Subban’s space out there.
New Jersey will rely on Subban to be more of a shutdown defenseman this season. He’ll match up against the opposing team’s best forwards. This isn’t a role he had in Nashville, but he certainly is capable.
Expect the Devils to put Subban out there against Boston’s top line on Saturday night. The Boston Bruins need to win that matchup if they want to win the game.
Jack Hughes
One of the upsides of a bad season is an increased chance at a top draft pick. The Devils took full advantage and won the 2019 NHL Draft lottery.
With the first overall pick, New Jersey surprised nobody and took Jack Hughes.
Hughes is one of the NHL’s next superstars. He has the potential to be a dominant offensive talent for the next decade.
Hughes is an explosive skater who already is one of the fastest players in the league. Unlike most players, he doesn’t lose much speed with the puck on his stick.
Although he’s only a teenager, Hughes also displays incredible vision. He has a knack for finding teammates in dangerous spots in the offensive zone.
If Hughes has a weakness, it’s his size and strength. He isn’t quite ready to handle some of the NHL’s bigger and stronger defenders. At the same time, Hughes is inexperienced, so he hasn’t learned how to properly use his body.
Hughes didn’t have the best start to his rookie season. He doesn’t have any points in his first four games. He also lost over 60% of his faceoffs.
This game marks the first time the Boston Bruins face Hughes. As such, it’s not totally clear how Bruce Cassidy will match up against Hughes.
Hughes centers New Jersey’s third line, so he’ll likely draw Matt Grzelcyk and Connor Clifton. Both players skate well, so they should be able to handle Hughes.
Where Hughes can be really dangerous is on the power play. He can take advantage of the extra space on the ice. The Boston Bruins therefore need to avoid any costly penalties.
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The Devils have a plethora of talented players on the roster, so they present an intriguing matchup for Boston. New Jersey has yet to put it all together, but the Bruins still need to be careful. If they are, the Bruins should be the favorites to win their home opener.